Arc and incandescent lighting system



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I-I. P. BRGWN.

ARG AND INGANDBSGBNT LIGHTING SYSTEM. No. 325,390. Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

N PETERS, Phom-Lnhogmpher. washingxon. D. C,

UNTTED STATES PATENT Ormea.

HAROLD I. BROVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ARC AND INCANDESCENT LIGHTING SYSTEM.

*Pncrrrcn'rrom forming part of Letters Patent No. 325.390, dated September l. 1885- Applicaion filed January 8, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HAROLD l?. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Arc and Incandescent Lighting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for operating arc and incandescent lights from the same main circuit. In my invention a single shunt-circuit having an automatically-variable resistance is employed to compensate for such of the incandescent lamps in the parallel group as may not be in use; and the invention consists in arranging the several resistance-coils in parallel group,like the lamps, and in making each resistance-coil in the form of an electro-magnet to operate a switch for putting the next succeeding resistance-coil in the shuntcircuit when required. The tension of the springs connected with the armature-levers of these electro magnets is so adjusted, by making each succeeding spring stronger than the preceding one, that the armature-levers will drop away inthe reverse order, and thus cut the resistance-coils out of the shunt-cir cuit in the reverse order to that in which they are put in.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure lis a diagram view showing the arrangement of circuits embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view, partly in horizontal section, showing the arrangement of the resistance-coils; and Fig. 3 is a crosssection showing the same parts in elevation.

In said drawings, A may represent a dynamo-machine, or other source of electric energy; B, the main-circuit wire, in which may be arranged in series, in the usual inanner, a number of arc-lamps, b. C is a local or incandescent-lamp circuit leading from the switch B', in which are arranged in parallel group a number of incandescent lamps, c, on the cross-wires c; and D is a shunt-circuit leading from the point x, where the local and shunt circuit wires diverge, to the point x', where the same reunite. Arranged in parallel group in this shunt-circuit are a number of resistance-coils7 (l, corresponding (No model.)

in number to the lamps in the parallel group, the resistance of each coil being equal to that of one lamp. Each of theseresistance-coils d is preferably made in the form of a double magnet and provided with cores cl. Each resistance-coil is connected by a cross-wire, d2, with the shunt-circuit wire D at one end, as at x2 x2, &c., and at the opposite end, through a contact-piece, d3, and armature-lever d,with the shunt-circuit wire, as at fr When the armature-lever is drawn up by force of the magnet,so as to make connection between the contact-piece cl3 and the armature-lever cl*,the coil of the succeeding magnet will be put in the shunt-circuit in parallel. On across-wire, b, leading from x4 to x', is arranged an electro-magnet, E, whose coil e remains permanently in the lamp-circuit. This magnet E is of high resistance, so that only a small fraction of the current will pass through it. The cross-wires c2 from the first resistance-coil are connected through the contact-piece d and armature-lever d* of this high-tension magnet, so that the operation of the magnet E will make connection to put the first resistance-coil in the shunt-circuit. Each succeeding resistance-coil is put in the shunt-circuit by the electro-magnet of the preceding one operating its armature-lever d The several armaturelevers d are provided with springs d", the tension of which is so regulated that the upper or last one of said armature-levers will always drop away from its magnet first, and the others in succession-that is to say, the spring for the first armature-lever is the weakest, the strength of the successive springs gradually in creasing to the last. From each of the crosswires di, as at x5, I lead a wire, d6, to the contact-points f f f2, &c. These contact-points are all arranged together, so that a single contact maker or lever, F, may make connection at once with them all.

F represents a low-resistance electro-magnet in the local circuit G, which operates to raise the contact making lever F, and thus break the connection, through the wires d, with all the resistance-coils whenever current for one or more lamps is passing through the local circuit C. The moment such current ceases, however, the armature-lever F will drop down upon the contact-points ff, and thus put all the resistance-coils in the shunt- IOO " the moment turned on or in circuit.

circuit, so that when the current is again turned onto the lamp-circuit C no injury can result either to any of the lamps or to any of the resistance-coils d, as would otherwise be likely to occur in case only one or two of the lamps or resistance-coils happened to be for The resistance-coils d may preferably be mounted on suitable spools, c, and the cores d', I provide with screw-threads dl, by which the whole may be secured to the heel-plate ds, which can be conveniently attached to the case G by a screw, g. Each armature-lever d", I provide with a projecting arm or wire, d, which overlaps the preceding armature-lever dt, so that it would be impossible for any armature-lever to drop away and break connection until after its immediately succeedi ng armature-lever has fallen back. The armature-lever d, I prefer to make in the form of ilat springs, and secure them to a curved or cam projection, dl, preferably by two screws, d d, so that the lower screw may serve to assist in the adjustment ot' the armature-lever. In this way I avoid the necessity of making a hinged joint for the armature-lever, which is more expensive, and at the same time I am enabled to adjust the armature-lever more delicately and make its action more perfect. The springs d? are provided with the usual adjusting screws, (Z125.

K is a post on which the adjusting-screw d is mounted, and Ii is another post, to which the stop-screw k is attached. The contactpiece d is mounted on the post K.

In operation, when one of the lamps in the parallel group is turned ont, or happens from any canse to be extinguished, the resistance through the remaining lamps is,of coursc,increased, so that a greater portion of the current will take the course of the shunt-circuit D, and thus increase the force of the electromagnet E, or of the core d of the resistancecoil magnets, if any of them at the time be in the shunt-circuit, and thus draw up one ofthe armature -levers d and make connection at one ofthe contact-pieces d with the next sueceeding resistance-coil, thus putting another resistance-coil in the shunt-circuit, and so on until the normal or proper amount of current is passing through both the lamps in the parallel group andthe resistance coil or coils in the shunt-circuit. In case an additional lamp in the"parallel group is lighted, it of course diminishes the resistance through the lamps,so that a greater fraction of the current will pass that way,and thus diminish the current passing through such resistance-coils as may be at the time in the shunt-circuit, thus weakening the electro-magnets until one (the last one) ot' the armature-levers d drops away by action of the spring d5, thus cutting out one (the last one) of the parallel resistancecoils d ot' the shunt-circuit, and thereby increasing the resistance of the shunt-circuit to compensate for the additional lamp lighted in the parallel group. As each succeeding spring di is adjusted to be slightly stronger than its preceding one, the armature-levers will drop away one by one, thus cutting out the resistance-coils one by one, the last one added always being lirst to drop away.

I claiml. The combination of main circuit B with local or incandescent-lamp circuit C, having two or more incandescent lamps arranged in parallel group with the shunt-circuit D, having two or more resistance-coils, (l, arranged in parallel group, switches connected with said coils, each resistance-coil forming part of an electro-magnet for operating the switch to put each succeeding resistance-coil in the shunt-circuit when required, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of local or incandescentlamp circuit C, having a number of incandescent lamps arranged in parallel group, with shunt-circuit D, having two or more resistance-coils, each resistance-coil being provided with a core, d', armature-lever cl, and contactpieee d, whereby each succeeding resistancecoil may be put in the shunt-circuit by the preceding one, substantially as speciticd.

3. rIhe combination ot'local or incandescentlamp circuit C, having a number of incandescent lamps arranged in parallel group, with shunt-circuit I), having two or more resistance-coils, each resistance-coil being provided with a core, d', armature-lever dt, and contactpiece d, and springs di for said armature-levers, each succeeding spring being stronger than the preceding one, whereby said arma-- ture-levers will be pulled back in the reversel order, substantially as specified.

i. The combination ot'local or incandescentlamp circuit C, having a number ot' incandescent lamps arranged in parallel group, with shunt-circuit, D, having two or more resistance-coils, each resistance-coil being provided with a core, d, armature-lever, and contactpiece d", each of said armature-levers being provided with a projecting arm, d, overlapping its preceding armature-lever, so that said armature-levers must drop away in the reverse order to that in which they are pulled up, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of local or incandescentlamp circuit C, having a number of incandescent lamps arranged in parallel group, with shunt-circuit D,having two or more resistancecoils, each resistance-coil being provided with a core, d', armature-lever (Z, and contact-piece d, electro-magnet F, contact-making lever F, contact-pieces ff, &c., and wires d, connecting said contact-pieces with said resistancecoils, whereby all said resistance-coils will be put in the shunt-circuit whenever the current on the circuit C ceases, substantially as speciiied.

6. The combination of a series of three or more electro-magnets having armature-levers IOO IIO

ance-coils, d, circuit-closing switches connected with said coils, each of said resistance-coils I 5 forming part of an electro-magnet for operating one of said switches, and an electromagnet, E, the coil of which is 'in parallel With the n lamps for operating one of said switches to close said shunt-circuit D, substantially as 2o specified.

HAROLD P. BROVN.

Vitnesses:

v H. M. MUNDAY,

EDMUND ADoooK. 

